Hmm. Interesting. Compared to eastern electric minimax, Meier stagedac and subsequently beresford bushmaster I found the bifrost very slightly bright or lit and quite detailed and resolving. Don't think more apparent brightness would be a good thing.

Interesting you get more bass HK yet it still seems brighter. Interesting the other differences you noticed!

Hmm. Interesting. Compared to eastern electric minimax, Meier stagedac and subsequently beresford bushmaster I found the bifrost very slightly bright or lit and quite detailed and resolving. Don't think more apparent brightness would be a good thing.

Interesting you get more bass HK yet it still seems brighter. Interesting the other differences you noticed!

I found the bass to be tighter and more refined but it was the treble that stood out as the "nit" to pick. For some, it's not even a nit. It is a different sound so users will have to "re-evaluate" their tube choices. The different sound may complement their tubes, but it may not. I opted for warmer tubes so I think for me, it works great (not sure about the Holland-made RTCs yet). However, YMMV...

Yes indeed HK. We tailor our systems to get the best we can, sometimes without even realizing all the subtle changes we made to get there.
An absolute improvement in one component can need a complete re-work or as the case may be!

Well I got my Analog Board. Listened to a few reference tracks to warm up the tubes before the install.

I have it in and the first thing to stand out is the huge detail reveal in the highs! And yes, improvement across the board as some have said. The upgrade has a different tonal balance. The Senn 800's don't disagree with it. I think the detail retrieval is huge with the Senns if you want to hear what they can do. Using the Bugle Boys now and the combination is really smooth.

I've recently dropped $1K to get some work done on a couple DACs to try get what the detail the Bifrost wasn't putting out. I'll have to compare. Bought two DACs to mod just before Schiit revealed the upgrade too. I'm thinking the detail between thew new Schiit USB and Analog cards is close to what I was hearing with a modified Adcom DAC. Definitely in the same league. I wouldn't have hesitated to drop $500 on a DAC upgrade to get this sort of improvement.

$70 for the Analog card upgrade is a steal I recommend the USB too if you don't have it. The Bifrost IMHO just surpassed its price point by at least a conservative $250. Of course your getting this improvement right out the box on new purchases.

Well I got my Analog Board. Listened to a few reference tracks to warm up the tubes before the install.

I have it in and the first thing to stand out is the huge detail reveal in the highs! And yes, improvement across the board as some have said. The upgrade has a different tonal balance. The Senn 800's don't disagree with it. I think the detail retrieval is huge with the Senns if you want to hear what they can do. Using the Bugle Boys now and the combination is really smooth.

I've recently dropped $1K to get some work done on a couple DACs to try get what the detail the Bifrost wasn't putting out. I'll have to compare. Bought two DACs to mod just before Schiit revealed the upgrade too. I'm thinking the detail between thew new Schiit USB and Analog cards is close to what I was hearing with a modified Adcom DAC. Definitely in the same league. I wouldn't have hesitated to drop $500 on a DAC upgrade to get this sort of improvement.

$70 for the Analog card upgrade is a steal I recommend the USB too if you don't have it. The Bifrost IMHO just surpassed its price point by at least a conservative $250. Of course your getting this improvement right out the box on new purchases.

Would love to see more comparisons to higher priced DACs. Currently, a full Uber Bifrost would cost $520 or so. I'm interested to see if it has surpassed the Concero I'm using, although I am waiting for the Concero HD...

Well I got my Analog Board. Listened to a few reference tracks to warm up the tubes before the install.

I have it in and the first thing to stand out is the huge detail reveal in the highs! And yes, improvement across the board as some have said. The upgrade has a different tonal balance. The Senn 800's don't disagree with it. I think the detail retrieval is huge with the Senns if you want to hear what they can do. Using the Bugle Boys now and the combination is really smooth.

I've recently dropped $1K to get some work done on a couple DACs to try get what the detail the Bifrost wasn't putting out. I'll have to compare. Bought two DACs to mod just before Schiit revealed the upgrade too. I'm thinking the detail between thew new Schiit USB and Analog cards is close to what I was hearing with a modified Adcom DAC. Definitely in the same league. I wouldn't have hesitated to drop $500 on a DAC upgrade to get this sort of improvement.

$70 for the Analog card upgrade is a steal I recommend the USB too if you don't have it. The Bifrost IMHO just surpassed its price point by at least a conservative $250. Of course your getting this improvement right out the box on new purchases.

Thanks for the impressions.. would definitely appreciate more thoughts on how it sounds with the HD800.

For sure. Best I've got in house ATM is the EE minimax, nothing high-end.

I found some muddiness in the stock bifrost with dense material lat year, but TEH notes this has improved with the uber-board. Anyways, I've get a pretest/post-test comparison in mind, but yet to find time to start.

Most of the treble extension, even with my very sensitive Denon's, is welcomed. Being a drummer, cymbal realism is so much enhanced with the uber. Yeah there are a few things that push the bright button but man, if you made me go back to the original, I'd cry like a baby. A few mental adjustments, a tube tweak...all is good !!!!

How is it possible that this thread has escaped my notice for so long? I was one of the first to do the self install, and I never even knew this thread was here! I feel a little foolish right now...

But that was weeks ago, and now I'm stuck on the road, away from my Schiit Stack. Luckily, I have my portable rig with me, or I would surely go insane! I still have a couple of weeks to go before I go home, I'm getting more antsy by the day. And it doesn't help that I have new old glass waiting to be rolled into my Lyr...

Would love to see more comparisons to higher priced DACs. Currently, a full Uber Bifrost would cost $520 or so. I'm interested to see if it has surpassed the Concero I'm using, although I am waiting for the Concero HD...

Well, once my amp sells, I'm planning to buy a Bifrost Uber without usb, using my Concero as a converter via coax output. The Concero is a great DAC on it's own but it's analog output is still integrated into the D/A chip itself so I think pairing them could (in theory) yield excellent results at the ~$1000 price point total. Not to mention retaining the filter options of the Concero.

Well, once my amp sells, I'm planning to buy a Bifrost Uber without usb, using my Concero as a converter via coax output. The Concero is a great DAC on it's own but it's analog output is still integrated into the D/A chip itself so I think pairing them could (in theory) yield excellent results at the ~$1000 price point total. Not to mention retaining the filter options of the Concero.

Well, I finally have enough saved up for a PS Audio PWD2 and I'm not gonna do it! Using the money on a vacation instead. The bifrost is good enough for now with the uber board installed. I am listening to music lately, this upgrade is just what I needed.

Oh and like NightFlight was saying, detail retrieval with uber/hd800 -- it is detail all the way down. I love putting on something like no joy or the latest mbv records and then just getting pummeled by what seemed like a mucky swamp with bifrost non-uber now revealed as the voice of an elder god.